I just read a little bit about this, and noticed that it was available for purchase in St. Paul, MN. Basically, it's 85% Ethanol and 15% gasoline. You can read more about this here: http://www.cleanairchoice.org/outdoor/e85.asp

Now - the question. Has anyone here heard of this stuff or used it? I'm curious to know if it works as well as gas.

I've often wondered what we are supposed to do with the vehicles that already exist today if we go to an alternative fuel, so this answers that question for me if it works well. Any vehicle is supposed to be able to run on this stuff.

//edit: Although, with more research, it looks like I have to buy a FFV (Flex Fuel Vehicle) to be able to choose between E85 and regular gas. Damn.

If this stuff were to become popular and cars were designed to run on it, what would occur is what happened in the 70's, where there would be pumps for leaded and unleaded fuel, and if you went to the wrong pump, you were screwed.

That is actually kind of scary - especially considering all of the bad things I have heard about ethanol recently. I shall endeavor to find a link, but I am seeing reports that ethanol is pretty much the same as regular fuel when it comes to damaging the environment when burned.

I know McCain made a big deal at one point in opposing ethanol... I shall have to find something specific.

If that IS the case, I'd much rather see the time and money that is sure to go into this go towards other, cleaner fuel alternative...

You do need a special vehicle to use thr 85% mix. But you can find small percentage mixes that will work in your vehicle (5% is pretty common, and can be cheaper then a straight gasoline mix).

Ethanol is cleaner then regular gas by a good bit, but it also isn't very efficient. Different studies show different results, but at the very least the amount of energy needed to produce a quantity of ethanol is close to 1 to 1. With more research, the efficiency will increase, but ethanol isn't the panacea some politicians are touting it as.

Also, most ethanol is produced from factory farms with heavy stripping of land and with arge quantities of pesticide use. I'd be happy with the industry much more if the corn were bought from family farmers.